Career Change Not So Abrupt

Government lawyer Debra Doherty has had several bouts of wanderlust. In the early 1990s, she gave up her job and moved to Lithuania for two years.

“It was exhilarating,” Doherty told the Washington Post. “I knew I wanted it. It took a lot of effort to get there. The whole idea of taking this time was to reward myself for being a member of the establishment and buckling down and saving money.”

Doherty is one of several people profiled in the Post who changed their jobs and their life. People tend to follow an early career path that is based on academic experience or their parents’ expectations, author Sarah Edwards told the newspaper. Then, as people move into their 30s and 40s they question their choices.

Edwards and her husband wrote Changing Directions Without Losing Your Way and Finding Your Perfect Work.